In the above-identified co-pending application, a new and improved soft touch top cover and process for producing such covers for vehicle instrument panels is disclosed. Such covers are preferably a multi-layer composite formed from a plurality of different plastics from the same family to provide a quality part. The cover of the co-pending application features (1) good interior support for augmenting part handling and installation, and (2) desirable outer surface qualities for soft feel and quality appearance. Importantly, the multi-layer cover can be recycled as a unit (no layer separation required) to provide for improved life cycle management.
While the top cover of our co-pending application provides improved handling, appearance, recycling and other important benefits, there is no specific provision therein for an egress door to accommodate an occupant safety air bag desirable in many vehicles.
To this end, the present invention provides a new and improved instrument panel cover construction with an integral and discrete air bag egress door which, after installation, is visually indistinguishable from the surrounding areas of the panel cover. The cover is semi-stiff or sufficiently rigid for self support and can be readily handled and installed in an air bag equipped vehicle so that the "seamless" egress door is easily aligned with the air bag stored in the vehicle instrument panel. The air bag egress door can readily be torn open at formed perforated parting lines in the cover by the force of an expanding air bag in a safety related incident to provide for occupant protection. Since the door is torn open by air bag deployment and a new air bag and door is needed, part costs are minimized with this invention since a replacement top cover, or a portion thereof, containing the air bag door can be economically produced and installed onto the instrument panel.